Dearly Beloved
by holletraumes
Summary: There's soft chatter between the people, family that are outside watching the skies for what seems like seconds. Faded twilight giving away to a dark night sky lit by stars that twinkle. Soft whispers that are of relatives talking and whispering about the voyage the young prodigy of the family will make tonight. Kiki's Delivery Service AU, Eventual ShiIta


It's leaving of the small town that they call home. It's been in the family for years to do so. It's been passed down in witches family's for when their children reach the age of thirteen to leave home and train for a year. It has always been something that has been on the families mind, but it's never normally rushed, but then again this isn't a normal witch family.

The Uchiha blood has almost always been one that has done things traditionally and over the years it has always fallen though with such things. The family may seem strict in nature but it cares for children like you wouldn't believe.

There's a system that had been in the family for years upon years. The witches branching back generations and further back in the blood, much further than one realize. Though the branches are much more scattered now in that bloodline, many Uchiha still remain to date. Which would lead us to the current day of one boy's mark of being thirteen.

It's late and in the summer months, almost August when it's established for him to leave. The air is almost cool compared the sticky days that were in this month. The nights leaving a rather chilled air, but none the less a comfortable one. The air blowing a slight breeze between the trees, leaving a chilled wind.

There's soft chatter between the people, family that are outside watching the skies for what seems like seconds. Faded twilight giving away to a dark night sky lit by stars that twinkle. Soft whispers that are of relatives talking and whispering about the voyage the young prodigy of the family will make tonight. He's not the only one that had left.

His cousin had left years ago, it's a fleeting thought that makes him fidget, ever so slightly. He had watched him leave that day for his year of training, and he had settled in another city in Japan, he didn't say where but he had written letters to the teen. Which had made him happy and gave him something to pass time in waiting for his own leaving. The prodigy isn't one that minds his leaving, no he's happy with the thought of _leaving_.

He's talked to his mother countless times about it. The only one that is upset about him leaving is his little brother Sasuke whom will understand in due time how exciting it is but also nerve wracking is to leave home and start most witches of his age, or even witches in general, the animal in which Itachi has is a crow. One that is named Yatagarasu. It's indifferent considering most of the family had a cat for an animal, Sasuke's got a small black cat that's a runt in Itachi's eyes.

Speaking of his brother he can hear him whining now. His voice a bratty child, Sasuke has always been attached to him, but tonight is Itachi's night. His mother is soft speaking to him wishing him will with his year of training. Speaking words of how intelligent he is, and how talented of a child he is. His lips pursed at his mother's comments but none the less a mirth of a smile that touches upon them.

"Thank you, Kaa-san."

He mutters politely with a small smile to his mother, but before she turns away her fingers hold out a small necklace one that has been in the family for years. A corded necklace that has three circles upon the cord, that have two small beads by it. The center circle having the sharingan symbol on it that dates back decades ago when their blood had a gift in their eyes. His mother's fingers moving to claps it around his neck, with her small fingers letting it rest upon his neck.

His eyes looking from her to his father. Whom in term gives him a short blessing one for good luck and approval that Itachi does take in stride, his fingers clutching the black fabric of his cloak closer. It's customary the cloak, though he had made his own with the help of his mother months ago. His top, though it is fishnet almost looks formal considering it is just a small amount of netting on it, and then similar colored pants that are upon his body. In a black color, for girls it is customary of a violet dress, or a shade of purple.

His crow fluttering above, silent for now. Yatagarasu tends to be of quiet nature, only when Itachi is alone does it speak. It was a crow that had lingered around him and Shisui when they were children watching them. His fingers moving to grab the small broomstick that had been made a few months ago by himself. Though Itachi may be good at his studies for herbs, and even potions with herbs, his flying is something he needs improvement on.

His mother can see the that look on his face, and she comes forth with her own broom, that he does not give objections upon, knowing that is the safer choice, a much safer choice. He exhales, his mind focusing on the goal ahead, find a town, find somewhere. Everything he needs is in his cloak, his small carry on that is attached on his hip. He intends to live in the moment for now, and then worry about important things later.

Most of all he wants to find _Shisui. _That is weight on the back of his mind like crazy, he just misses his cousin, getting letters were good, but he misses talking to him in person. Sasuke is nothing like the boyish cousin that Shisui was. He misses his best friend more than anything. His feet planted firmly on the ground, he feels his crow shift to perch on his shoulder, a fluttering in his heart as he mounts himself on the ground how he was taught to fly.

The release of breath when he kicks off hearing his little brother call out in a choked voice.

"Goodbye, Nii-san!"

Half almost sounding as he's going to cry but he'll write home, he'll make sure he does. He won't forget about his family, no they matter to much to him. He cares for them deeply but for now he will fly. And he does, his legs kicking off from the ground. Leaving the ground with a rush of air, a laugh escapes him almost. The one time he didn't crash into anything, it was the night that he left home, with the stars and moon overhead.

It's familiar the silence, the quiet that occurs when he's flying. The open air and nothing that is sound occurring. In a sense, Itachi is thankful they live outside the mainland of the cities so he can fly at ease like this. Feeling the air in his lungs and nothing out. Yatagarasu flies beside him in a small flapping of wings in an eased movement, silent as ever.

"You think we'll find him?"

The question voiced is about his cousin. One that has been on his mind since the day he left. This journey is about witches finding whom they are inside and their gifts, and though Itachi may be gifted at a lot, he has not found one thing that his heart belongs in to train in. The crow caws, or what would sound like to any other person, if not a witch.

"_It is up to fate, who knows, maybe someday it will reach out and take us both to unexpected places. Do not dwell on the what ifs but dwell on the important things for now."_

The crow speaks back with flutters of wings, soaring over the expanse of air. Itachi taking the words in listening to them, as he as always done. The bird giving much useful advice to him over the years. He soars with the animal none the less over small towns and cities and things seem so endless. Endless and everlasting.

He flies in the sky watching the town and such pass, unsure of too were to stay exactly. Letting his heart judge he flies for what seems like hours, even a day perhaps. The sun is overhead at one point, and his crow even seems concerned for him to sleep but he turns it away. Flying still. At one point, he comes to a stop.

It's a village. One hidden in the woods, almost nestled by it, and yet it's not. There's woods near the area it resides in, but leading past it, Itachi can see water, and he means lakes and rivers, and even ocean, if you traveled south more. He chooses to land. Not willing to draw attention on the fact he's a witch or matters such as that.

The young child lands, finding his footing after a day of flying is a difficult thing, his eyes casting upon the gates that seem to welcome people. Brushing his strands of raven hair aside as he enters the village, the sheer size of it remarkable. He's drawn to it, it's unlike home and yet he finds himself comfortable here.

Itachi seems to wander, filtering in between the people but at the same time standing out in a sense, gaining a few stares from a boy that has a crow perched on his shoulder and is holding a broom. He wanders for a bit until his stomach yearns for food. He's almost tempted to see if there's any tea shops around here, considering he earned quite a bit of money over the years, and saved it all. But he decides the sweets will come later, he needs to focus on a place to stay.

He comes across a small bakery. Entering it to purchase food, perhaps a small piece of bread. What he's met with is a redhead, that is almost rushing after a person that just left the bakery with a small baby carriage. It's evident that the women is holding a pacifier, and staring out the door calling out to the women that is heading down the hill around the corner.

Itachi can hear the young redhead call back into the shop saying she'll be back in a few minutes, and Itachi realizes that she's going to attempt to give the mother it back but by the time she reaches her or tries she'll be too far gone.

"Miss,-" For a moment he pauses. "I can do that for you if you'd like." Itachi says to the women politely, it would take him five seconds if he flew down there. The women almost seems surprised upon Itachi speaking to her a smile casting to her lips.

"You wouldn't mind boy? It's just that baby will cry, I don't want that."

"No, I don't mind that at all."

Itachi has no issues with it. No he does what he said he would hearing the surprise in the women when he literally jumps over the edge of a high placed wall, letting impulse take over when he flies to find the women and the baby. He returns the pacifier to the women and she's almost greatful, and Itachi ends up receiving a note to return to the redhead.

He ends up back in the bakery around when the shop is closing, the redhead casting a mirth of a smile. "You almost gave me a heart-attack there, taking flight off your broomstick of yours. I hadn't seen that in years." The women says with a laugh though it's warm laughter. Itachi passes her the not, not wishing to overstay staying here, no that would be impolite.

The women reads the note letting out another laugh. "Well then, isn't that quite something. It seems like she really liked you. She tells me to thank my new delivery boy I have here." There's a mirth of a smile casted at him. "Come upstairs with me, we can talk over some tea. Does that sound good?"

Itachi nods, polite as ever. He's lead past the bakery downstairs past the oven that he sees a blonde working at, wiping sweat from his brow, a confused look but none the less smiling as the redhead passes. The redhead, heats up a kettle and such, and lets Itachi settle down by the fireplace that is upstairs, it's evident that it's there living area. His crow, stumbles onto the table eying the women but silent.

"So have you a place to stay? Or are you just passing?.." She asks as she sets the green tea down on the table, giving the boy the cup.

"I, it seemed like a good place to stay. If you have seen a witch before, I take it you have seen how our training period works?"

The redhead nods then speaks. "A few witches pass though here, but not all of them stay. Only one did but that was ages ago a few years ago. I'm Kushina. Do you have a place to stay?" She's polite very kind, by how she sounds. The question throws him off for a moment.

"I hadn't found a place, I was still looking." Itachi tells her with a small smile.

"We have a spare room. It could use some work, but you could use it." Slight surprise is on his features at the mere offer of it, and it;s rich surprise. Before Itachi can answer, there's a yell from the blonde downstairs. "Kushina-kun, Uchiha-san is downstairs." There's a pause when the women goes to fetch a small box, wagashi. Itachi doesn't even have to even think when he sees that. He _knows. _

_"Excuse me._ But may I take that down?"

He can see the dango in the box, the three that he's used to, and the other sweets that his _cousin_ always used to get at home. Kushina seems surprised but none the less lets him. The prodigy seems to almost seem to stumble down. It's been four or three years since he saw his cousin, and if it's him, god there's so much he wants to ask. It turns out he's right.

The look on his cousin's face is one that is surprise. One that makes his eyes widen in surprise and stare at his little cousin. He's grown in ways taller for now than Itachi and he's staring at him. Boyish curls framing a face that has lost some of the baby lines at least, eyes staring at his younger cousin. Shisui is staring no doubt at Itachi, staring because he cannot believe his eyes.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it. Itachi?"


End file.
